Breathless Autumn
by ForteDragon
Summary: You swept in, as fiery and red-gold as the fall leaves, and stole my breath away. AU Elesis (BH) x Ara (YR)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: The word count of these chapters is seriously going to fluctuate. Probably 400-1000 words per chapter... Hope you all don't mind! But if you do, you still have to deal with it...Sorry.

Anyway, enjoy! I do not own Elsword or its characters.

* * *

Red, silky hair and clear, bright eyes of the same rich crimson. Rolled up sleeves exposed lean, muscled forearms. These traits of the new transfer student immediately caught Ara's attention. There were no other words to describe her appearance other than hot, beautiful, or other such synonyms. Even her name, Elesis, seemed to sizzle with a certain mix of recklessness and elegance. Elesis held herself with an air of confidence that drew others to her. Ara knew she would definitely be popular with many of the male students. After the teacher had introduced Elesis, the red headed girl strolled to her seat, passing Ara along the way. As she passed, Ara glanced away, but upon feeling a faint warm breath near her ear, she snapped her gaze back.

"Les-bi-honest...You were checking me out just now, weren't you?" Elesis whispered, so only Ara could hear.

Immediately Ara flushed a deep red. Was it really that obvious? And what was with the cheesy pickup line? Smirking at Ara's embarrassment, Elesis continued to her desk, but not before shooting the speechless girl a suggestive wink. Ara deadpanned.

 _WHAT._

* * *

Ara felt a gaze on her, burning into her back. Tucking her raven colored hair behind her ear, she cautiously glanced back, curious as to the origin of the prickly feeling along her spine. Topaz eyes met laughing, scarlet ones. Elesis had her head propped up on her hand, staring unabashedly at the black haired girl. Ara felt her heart stop, but quickly turned back to face the front of the classroom. Her mind, however, was not at all focused on the teacher's lecture. What was wrong with her? She had never been so flustered before. Usually she made others flustered, and not just guys. Ara knew she was above average in the looks department, but didn't like to boast or brag about it.

 _That transfer student though...She's really something._

Ugh. Ara mentally slapped herself. Elesis actually was attractive, but from her actions, she seemed to Ara like a jerk, albeit a witty, daring one. It was hard to admit, but maybe, just maybe, she held the tiniest bit of fondness for the redhead already.


	2. Chapter 2

Sighing, Ara packed up her textbooks and joined the throng of students pushing their way out of the school. She bumped into someone from behind, and turned to apologize. Standing there was none other than Elesis.

"...Yo," The redhead greeted her casually, giving her a small salute.

Ara muttered back a greeting, before turning and pushing her way through the crowd to hide her rapidly coloring cheeks. She only made her way out of the building before she felt a tight grip on her wrist.

"What was that for?" The voice didn't sound angry, if anything, it sounded slightly annoyed. Ara swiveled around, already knowing the speaker. "I just said hi, and then you go and run off. Look, I'm sorry if what I said before bothered you. It was just a joke, seriously." Elesis continued.

"It's not that." Ara huffed, though in her mind she was unsure of why she was acting so elusive and cold to the redhead.

"Then what is it?" Elesis demanded, sending a serious stare the ebonette's way.

"Uh...I just...Had to get home quickly! Family stuff later, y'know?" Ara said lamely, fidgeting under the other girl's firm gaze.

Elesis eyed her skeptically. "You're lying." Suddenly, an idea seemed to hit her, and an impish smirk made it's way across her lips. "Wait...Don't tell me...You've fallen for me?"

"N-Nope! No way! How did you even get that idea? That's…"

Suddenly, Elesis' face was very very close. A triumphant smirk split her face, and she had an eyebrow raised cockily.

"...Crazy…" Ara finished, feeling heat creeping up on her face. She backed away nervously. A sudden breeze swept up a shower of fall leaves, some entangling in her hair. Elesis leaned in, but not to kiss her, as she fearfully expected. Ara felt nimble fingers brushing through her hair, and looked up to see Elesis plucking out the leaves that had been stuck there. As her hands fell to her sides, she took a step back, realizing that Ara was uncomfortable. The insufferable smirk from earlier had eased into a gentle, easy smile.

"Is it?" The red haired girl tilted her head to the side, her eyes looking up at Ara almost innocently.

What was with this girl? She was haughty one minute, and kind the next. It confused the raven haired girl's mind and heart. Just why did she make her feel this way?

"Well...I think you're pretty...And interesting, I suppose, but who's to say for sure if I've fallen for you? L-Love is a confusing thing..." Oh god, she sounded so awkward.

Elesis raised her hand to her chin, pausing to think for a few seconds. "Then how about we test it?"

"Eh? How do you propose we do that?" Asked a puzzled Ara.

Elesis gave her a toothy grin and spoke without hesitation, "Let's kiss!"

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A/N: In which Ara is very ooc. Anyhow, I feel like this is a bit clichéd and predictable. It's like the daring guy and the shy/easily flustered girl. Or prince and princess. I dunno, something like that. ButIdon'twantittobecheesy -sobs-


	3. Chapter 3

"W-what?" Exclaimed Ara, "But that's..." She considered it for a few moments. If she kissed Elesis, maybe she would be able to figure out once and for all what it was that she felt. It would just be an experiment, nothing more, right? The black haired girl drew in a deep breath and sighed. "Fine, we can try...K-kissing...But if you do anything weird, I'm seriously going to kill you."

Elesis let out a short laugh. "I have no doubt that you will. I won't do anything that you don't want me to, just trust me."

"...Alright," she said, eyeing her skeptically.

The two walked to the back of the school, where no one would see them or possibly start weird rumors. Dry, orange leaves crinkled below their feet as they made their way around the building. They walked, side by side, in silence. The unusually warm weather did nothing to ease Ara's growing apprehension. Elesis turned to face her. The redhead's gaze was firm and unwavering, making butterflies alight in Ara's stomach. Maybe doing this wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Um...A-actually, I-" the golden eyed girl began to stutter out a protest, but then she felt a pressure on her shoulders and Elesis' touch, searing and electrifying, on her skin. Ara's words died before they could slip out of her mouth.

A mere few inches stood between them, but it felt like a brick wall of uncertainty to Ara. She could feel the other girl's breath ghosting gently over her face. Though it was a pleasant day and not at all cold, Ara couldn't help but shiver a bit.

"This is okay, right?" Elesis asked, her gaze softening.

After a few moments of hesitation, Ara nodded wordlessly. Noticing that the ebonette was feeling awkward, Elesis took the initiative, bridging the gap between them as their lips met. The redhead's lips felt soft and smooth, like rose petals. A burst of adrenaline spread its way through her veins and sent small tremors through her body. She almost let out a gasp at the contact. Though the kiss was brief, Ara felt herself lingering. She forced herself to withdraw, trying to hide the conflicting emotions threatening to show on her face. Ara found that the kiss had felt surprisingly good.

Elesis leaned back, shifting her weight onto one leg. Perhaps the ebonette was imagining it, but a faint pink seemed to dust her cheeks. They both looked away quickly, realizing what had just transpired. At that moment, Ara knew what she felt for the tomboy in front of her. It was white-hot, and left her breathless. It was so much more than a simple interest; She had been swept off her feet. And soon she would discover that the thief who had stolen her heart had fallen just as hard.

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A/N: I don't know how to write romance. OTL the pacing kinda sucks too...So please critique so I can fix my mistakes and get better!


	4. Chapter 4

Elesis tried to suppress a blush. The kiss had given her a rush that she had never felt before, and she decided that she didn't hate it. But that was putting it mildly. To tell the truth, she was addicted. It didn't help that Ara looked super cute, averting her beautiful gold eyes and trying not to seem awkward.

 _Crap, I want to kiss her again._

"So...Ara. Did you figure out your feelings for me yet?" The redhead put on a calm smile, but inside, she was desperately fighting to control herself. Ara reddened.

"Um..."

"What?"

"I...I need a little more time t-to think about it, you know?" The ebon haired girl's stuttering was strangely endearing. Even though she had been rather nervous around Elesis, the redhead assumed that she was usually a rather composed person.

"Yeah, I understand."

A silence.

"How about we meet up after school tomorrow?" Elesis spoke, "that's enough time, right?"

"...Probably."

"Then it's a date." The redhead laughed, returning to her usual playful self.

"I-It's not!"

"We'll see about that~"

"Gosh, you're insufferable," Ara huffed, though her tone was light. "A-anyway, I seriously have to go now. You probably should, too. Unless you plan on staying at school all day?"

"Yeah, I'm not staying at school any longer than I have to. Also, you should know...Emotions aren't a joke to me, though it might seem that way at first. So...Let's both take this seriously."

"Alright...I will." Ara turned to go, but not before giving Elesis a small wave. There was a slight smile on the girl's face. "See you later."

"R-right, see you." Elesis thought she was going to have a heart attack. Or diabetes. Probably both. How could someone so adorable **and** beautiful exist? Not to mention sweet...and smart...and...a lot of other things.

"Man, she really should smile more..." The redhead mumbled to herself. She really didn't know what she was getting into when she had tried to hit on the raven haired girl. Now, she was absolutely charmed. But Elesis loved that feeling too.

* * *

A/N: I'm a really disappointing author, huh? Super short chapters with next to no real content :D

Kind of. Or is it?

Back to talking about the story's actual contents. The characters might be a little out of character, but this is how I imagine them. I think Yama Raja would be tsundere at times, although she does have a flirty/dominant side. And of course Blazing Heart would be the outgoing, tomboyish, womanizer-who-is-really-a-dork-and-a-romantic kind of character. Though not exactly a womanizer...Because ARA IS THE ONLY ONE FOR ELESIS. That is all.


	5. Chapter 5

With that final sentiment, Elesis set Ara's mind frantic and heart aflutter. On her way home she couldn't stop thinking about why the girl had brought that up. What was she implying? Perhaps she too was troubled romantically. Or could it be that Elesis had taken an interest in her? Just the thought made Ara's heart pound and pulse quicken.

What was happening to her? Every time she thought of the redhead, she felt her cheeks reddening and found herself wondering when she would see her again. Every time they touched, Ara could feel herself melting. When they had kissed, a wonderful soaring feeling had risen from deep in her stomach. She had never felt so connected with someone in her life, although they had only met a short while ago.

 _I didn't know that being in love did this sort of thing to people..._

Ara let out an audible sigh. More importantly, what was she going to tell the other girl tomorrow? If she were to admit her true feelings, it would be confession of love. Ara didn't know if she was ready for that yet, but she had to say something. Besides, she had promised to be serious, and she felt strangely compelled to tell the truth. The one thing stopping her (besides her shyness around the other girl) was that she was afraid; Afraid of being rejected or despised. Not only would it make things embarrassing and awkward between them, but if she were rejected, it would hurt - Ara knew of that for sure- and the golden-eyed girl hated this kind of pain. Everything depended on which feeling was stronger, her fear or her love.

* * *

The sight of Elesis the next day was enough to rejuvenate her spirits after a night of unrest. Smiling slightly, Ara watched the girl's broad back as she walk down the crowded halls. The ebonette still wasn't sure what to do, but a sense of compassion welled up within her, blotting out the confusion of her thoughts and feelings. Suddenly, she realized that she must've been grinning like a fool. Ara struggled to cover the smile as she glanced around, hoping no one had noticed. When she looked back, the redhead had disappeared.

* * *

A/N: This was just a little chapter to characterize Ara more and build up some tension/suspense, I guess. They both clearly know what they feel towards the other, but are too dense to realize that their love might be reciprocated. But they've already kissed once so that's a good step forward.

I swear, Ara and Elesis need to get together and get a room already.


	6. Chapter 6

Elesis found herself casting fleeting glances at the golden eyed girl throughout the day. It was like an itch that she had to scratch. She just couldn't stop herself from staring and wondering what the other girl was thinking about. It was breathtaking, the way the gentle fall light played over her features and caught in her eyes, making them glow with the color of rich honey. The redhead felt a tugging at her heart, and realized that it was longing. That just awoke her curiosity in what Ara's answer would be. Of course, there was the possibility that Ara would say that she did not like Elesis in that way, which would be saddening. Elesis supposed it wouldn't be horrible, though. After all, she would still be there at school, and they could always be friends. Even so, that thought didn't sit well with her, though she was looking forward immensely to the other girl's answer, whatever it may be. At this point, nothing she did could change it.

As she watched, the black haired girl bent over to help someone pick up the eraser they had dropped. Straightening, Ara looked up and their eyes met. Elesis sent her her usual smirk. Ara shrugged slightly in feigned exasperation, but the redhead couldn't miss the twitch at the corner of her lips.

* * *

Elesis wandered to the back of the school, reveling in the quickly cooling warmth of Autumn. By now, most of the leaves had fallen off the trees, littering the ground with a carpet of color. Noticing a certain ebonette walking over, she brightened, her face immediately lighting up like a firefly at night.

"H-Hi," greeted Ara.

"Yo."

"Umm...Listen, I've finally figured out my feelings."

Elesis could feel every cell in her body braced, waiting anxiously for the answer she so yearned for.

The air was tense and heavy, filled with unspoken emotion. It was so hard to speak, but Ara forced her mouth to move and form the words she wished to say. There was no going back now.

"I love you." Those three simple words rolled off her tongue in one great breath.

The black haired girl looked to the girl opposite her, trying to read the redhead's expression. For a split second, Elesis' face looked vulnerable - with her eyebrows turned up slightly and her crimson orbs wide with surprise.

"Sorry, I..." Ara felt her stomach tighten with dread.

"W-What I mean to say is," Elesis stammered, looking at loss for words. Suddenly, she was being pulled to the redhead, and Elesis' lips were on hers, kissing her fervently. After a moment of shock, Ara too was kissing back with a rivaling intensity. It hurt so much to be near each other, but it also felt tremendously pleasing. All too soon, it was over, and both flushed as red as the fall leaves.

"I...I love you, too. And...I'm sorry for teasing you..." mumbled the younger girl.

Despite her blush and her ecstasy in having her feelings returned, Ara still found her revenge.

"Aww, you're just a big dork, aren't you? That's cute. Even though you act so tough~"

"S-Shut up!"

The two laughed amiably, then lapsed into a moment of silence. The only sounds heard were their quiet intakes of breath as they struggled to fill their lungs and remember how to breathe again.

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A/N: I hope this left you breathless, too! Maybe this chapter was a little bit too...intense, compared to how soft and fluffy (not to mention lackluster) the other chapters are OTL.


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